A Photographic History Of Scottish Football

[Monkey Tennis]

2 hours ago, Theyellowbox said:

I think Palmerston is great and I know what you mean about leaving. It's probably taken a generation or two even for McDiarmid to have made enough memories for folk. Anyone under the age of say 35, will know nothing but McDiarmid as home. Even then, it's really needing some TLC. Maybe looks passable on TV, but the seats are all breaking, front rows and hidden bits have mismatch colours and internals are long overdue an upgrade.

It wouldn't surprise me if the club have or are looking into whether it is better to move again, although doubt they would unless it was a JV with PKC. 

Having been there a few weeks ago, Palmerston still has history and charm, but it is in desperate need of some major maintenance. The newest stand is looking its age now and while it wouldn't take much, needs a bit of an overhaul, away end does at least. But the home terracing behind the goal shouldn't be touched, love it. The Tergeles (will have that wrong) end probably needs flattened. 

Yes, much as I love the place, it's really not in great shape at all right now.  It's a recurring theme on the Queens thread on here.

I was probably being facetious when saying I'd swap none of it.  These lengthy top flight spells, cup wins and clashes with European big guns were probably quite fun.  When I see pictures of Muirton, Brockville or Love Street though, they just make me sad and I'd hate us to go the same way.

On Palmerston, it really just needs some love, care and spending to perfect it.  The Terregles Street end is an interesting one.  It stood completely unused for around 20 years, but was reopened a few years back.  It's only actually open to fans occasionally.  I don't want it bulldozed, but it is a bit of a state.  I'd like it restored if possible as I like a ground to have 4 sides.

[Theyellowbox]

28 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Yes, much as I love the place, it's really not in great shape at all right now.  It's a recurring theme on the Queens thread on here.

I was probably being facetious when saying I'd swap none of it.  These lengthy top flight spells, cup wins and clashes with European big guns were probably quite fun.  When I see pictures of Muirton, Brockville or Love Street though, they just make me sad and I'd hate us to go the same way.

On Palmerston, it really just needs some love, care and spending to perfect it.  The Terregles Street end is an interesting one.  It stood completely unused for around 20 years, but was reopened a few years back.  It's only actually open to fans occasionally.  I don't want it bulldozed, but it is a bit of a state.  I'd like it restored if possible as I like a ground to have 4 sides.

Was there not proposals a few years back to build Starks Park like stands behind each goal at Palmerston?

As you say, a bit of love is needed. Not massive things, but simple things like selling tickets with particular seats, but not having the row letters remotely visible in the stand is a simple fix.

It's interesting, Brockville, Muirton and Love street all have strong positive memories for fans and mostly little to do with the actual games there, more the quirks of the places themselves. You can see some of the more recent new builds, Brentford being a prime example, are actively building on quirky features, which add something different. 

[Ranaldo Bairn]

1 hour ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Yes, much as I love the place, it's really not in great shape at all right now.  It's a recurring theme on the Queens thread on here.

I was probably being facetious when saying I'd swap none of it.  These lengthy top flight spells, cup wins and clashes with European big guns were probably quite fun.  When I see pictures of Muirton, Brockville or Love Street though, they just make me sad and I'd hate us to go the same way.

On Palmerston, it really just needs some love, care and spending to perfect it.  The Terregles Street end is an interesting one.  It stood completely unused for around 20 years, but was reopened a few years back.  It's only actually open to fans occasionally.  I don't want it bulldozed, but it is a bit of a state.  I'd like it restored if possible as I like a ground to have 4 sides.

Overrated imo.

[Monkey Tennis]

2 hours ago, Theyellowbox said:

Was there not proposals a few years back to build Starks Park like stands behind each goal at Palmerston?

Yes, but the necessary funding was never in place thankfully.

The need to consider such matters was put on hold anyway by the demise of the SPL and its ludicrous ground criteria.

We've also found another solution in the meantime, to having to ready our ground for the top flight.

[Luddite]

5 hours ago, Jimmain said:

You mean the posts were replaced 5 times and the crossbar three, but it's still the same goals.

 Enjoyed this quality Trigger's Broom of Theseus reference mate, always found it funnier than the revered "play it cool" scene.  I throw this into conversation with my Yankee wife now and then who continues to not get the reference 

Edited August 3, 2022 by Luddite

[Monkey Tennis]

14 minutes ago, Luddite said:

 Enjoyed this quality Trigger's Broom of Theseus reference mate, always found it funnier than the revered "play it cool" scene.  I throw this into conversation with my Yankee wife now and then who continues to not get the reference 

The 'play it cool' scene is wildly overrated.  It's not that funny.

The chandelier scene is way better.

[Luddite]

20 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said:

The 'play it cool' scene is wildly overrated.  It's not that funny.

The chandelier scene is way better.

Wish you'd've said summfin'. I was workin' on this one.  

[Specky Ginger]

7 minutes ago, Luddite said:

Wish you'd've said summfin'. I was workin' on this one.  

Did you drop it?

[SuperSaints1877]

2 hours ago, Theyellowbox said:

It's interesting, Brockville, Muirton and Love street all have strong positive memories for fans and mostly little to do with the actual games there, more the quirks of the places themselves.

Have to disagree with regards Love St. I’m sure other fans of other clubs would agree that the games witnessed were more important than the surroundings.

I watched the club undergo a total transformation by Fergie. 

A 4-1 pumping of high flying top flight Dundee United on a frozen pitch in ‘77 was a Fergie masterclass in managing referees (forcing the game to be played) and the style of football played.

Played against a full strength Liverpool team in 1977 in our centenary game. Drew 1-1.

Liverpool: Ray Clemence, Phil Neal, Alan Hansen, Phil Thompson, Emlyn Hughes, Ian Callaghan, Ray Kennedy, Terry McDermott, Jimmy Case David Fairclough, Kenny Dalglish.

Seen many a victory over the Old Firm. Pumping Hearts and Morten on a regular basis by 5 or 6 goals!

Seeing George Best play for Fulham in Anglo Scottish cup.

Winning the ASC becoming the only Scottish side to do it.

Watching Best make his debut for Hibs and once again him being on the losing side.

Regular games in Europe and seeing players of the calibre of Rep, Battiston, Lopez, Cruyff, Gullit etc strutting their stuff.

A number of old First Division League titles achieved.

It was an excellent atmosphere when the Northbank was all standing and both sets of fans were side by side. Putting in seats killed the intense atmosphere.

But to say there were not memorable matches is unfair in my opinion.

There were obviously some difficult times.

I can only remember one major title being won by another team on our pitch which was Albert Kidd day in 1986.

I miss Love Street like many supporters of my era. 

To think at one point in the 70s and 80s we had two players (Iain Munro and Billy Thompson) each receive 7 full Scotland international caps while at St Mirren shows how good the team actually were at that time. We had a European Golden Boot winner in part time Doug Somner.

Scottish football was way much better in the 70s and 80s. Even Morten played in the top flight back then.

Our game is in a sorry state now.

[SuperSaints1877]

8 hours ago, Theyellowbox said:

 

Most importantly, part of the pitch is in my mums back garden! 

 

Would love to see a photo of that. 

[Luddite]

7 minutes ago, SuperSaints1877 said:

Have to disagree with regards Love St. I’m sure other fans of other clubs would agree that the games witnessed were more important than the surroundings.

I watched the club undergo a total transformation by Fergie. 

A 4-1 pumping of high flying top flight Dundee United on a frozen pitch in ‘77 was a Fergie masterclass in managing referees (forcing the game to be played) and the style of football played.

Played against a full strength Liverpool team in 1977 in our centenary game. Drew 1-1.

Liverpool: Ray Clemence, Phil Neal, Alan Hansen, Phil Thompson, Emlyn Hughes, Ian Callaghan, Ray Kennedy, Terry McDermott, Jimmy Case David Fairclough, Kenny Dalglish.

Seen many a victory over the Old Firm. Pumping Hearts and Morten on a regular basis by 5 or 6 goals!

Seeing George Best play for Fulham in Anglo Scottish cup.

Winning the ASC becoming the only Scottish side to do it.

Watching Best make his debut for Hibs and once again him being on the losing side.

Regular games in Europe and seeing players of the calibre of Rep, Battiston, Lopez, Cruyff, Gullit etc strutting their stuff.

A number of old First Division League titles achieved.

It was an excellent atmosphere when the Northbank was all standing and both sets of fans were side by side. Putting in seats killed the intense atmosphere.

But to say there were not memorable matches is unfair in my opinion.

There were obviously some difficult times.

I can only remember one major title being won by another team on our pitch which was Albert Kidd day in 1986.

I miss Love Street like many supporters of my era. 

To think at one point in the 70s and 80s we had two players (Iain Munro and Billy Thompson) each receive 7 full Scotland international caps while at St Mirren shows how good the team actually were at that time. We had a European Golden Boot winner in part time Doug Somner.

Scottish football was way much better in the 70s and 80s. Even Morten played in the top flight back then.

Our game is in a sorry state now.

An enjoyable read.

Have only been to Love Street once, January 1988 vs Celtic , finished 1-1 with a  McAvennie last minute penalty miss.

Was with a St.Mirren supporting kinda-sorta Uncle who left early, heard the roar for the penalty decision just as we were leaving and got back up in time to see the miss.  Fond memories of drizzling rain walking from the train station and the odor of sweet pipe-tobacco smoke wafting through the air, my kinda-sorta uncle telling my kinda-sorta cousin and me "right lads, colours aff 'til we're in the ground", the only time I'd been told that headed to fitba game, maybe he'd seem some shit previously?

Ended up with a programme signed by the entire Celtic team as they came off the bus and took photos with Billy McNeil and Paul McStay but I've never seen them 'cos my kinda-sorta cousin never gave me the film, what a c**t.

Edited August 3, 2022 by Luddite

[Monkey Tennis]

11 minutes ago, SuperSaints1877 said:

Would love to see a photo of that. 

I've got a little square from the last grass pitch at Palmerston, in my back garden.

[Specky Ginger]

16 minutes ago, SuperSaints1877 said:

Have to disagree with regards Love St. I’m sure other fans of other clubs would agree that the games witnessed were more important than the surroundings.

I watched the club undergo a total transformation by Fergie. 

A 4-1 pumping of high flying top flight Dundee United on a frozen pitch in ‘77 was a Fergie masterclass in managing referees (forcing the game to be played) and the style of football played.

Played against a full strength Liverpool team in 1977 in our centenary game. Drew 1-1.

Liverpool: Ray Clemence, Phil Neal, Alan Hansen, Phil Thompson, Emlyn Hughes, Ian Callaghan, Ray Kennedy, Terry McDermott, Jimmy Case David Fairclough, Kenny Dalglish.

Seen many a victory over the Old Firm. Pumping Hearts and Morten on a regular basis by 5 or 6 goals!

Seeing George Best play for Fulham in Anglo Scottish cup.

Winning the ASC becoming the only Scottish side to do it.

Watching Best make his debut for Hibs and once again him being on the losing side.

Regular games in Europe and seeing players of the calibre of Rep, Battiston, Lopez, Cruyff, Gullit etc strutting their stuff.

A number of old First Division League titles achieved.

It was an excellent atmosphere when the Northbank was all standing and both sets of fans were side by side. Putting in seats killed the intense atmosphere.

But to say there were not memorable matches is unfair in my opinion.

There were obviously some difficult times.

I can only remember one major title being won by another team on our pitch which was Albert Kidd day in 1986.

I miss Love Street like many supporters of my era. 

To think at one point in the 70s and 80s we had two players (Iain Munro and Billy Thompson) each receive 7 full Scotland international caps while at St Mirren shows how good the team actually were at that time. We had a European Golden Boot winner in part time Doug Somner.

Scottish football was way much better in the 70s and 80s. Even Morten played in the top flight back then.

Our game is in a sorry state now.

You're probably right to say Scottish football was much better then, but unfortunately Raith Rovers were shite at that time and by the time of my first visit to Love Street in 1992 (Rovers' first for 15 years), the North Bank was seated.

That was at the time Strathclyde Police's 'Operation Blade' was in full swing and the charming young Buddies duly informed us in song that 'We're gonnae stab you in Paisley'.

 

[SuperSaints1877]

7 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said:

I've got a little square from the last grass pitch at Palmerston, in my back garden.

I’ve got a hybrid lawn with turf from Love Street, Wembley and Inverness. 

[SuperSaints1877]

18 minutes ago, Luddite said:

An enjoyable read.

Have only been to Love Street once, January 1988 vs Celtic , finished 1-1 with a  McAvennie last minute penalty miss.

Was with a St.Mirren supporting kinda-sorta Uncle who left early, heard the roar for the penalty decision just as we were leaving and got back up in time to see the miss.  Fond memories of drizzling rain walking from the train station and the odor of sweet pipe-tobacco smoke wafting through the air, my kinda-sorta uncle telling my kinda-sorta cousin and me "right lads, colours aff 'til we're in the ground", the only time I'd been told that headed to fitba game, maybe he'd seem some shit previously?

Ended up with a programme signed by the entire Celtic team as they came off the bus and took photos with Billy McNeil and Paul McStay but I've never seen them 'cos my kinda-sorta cousin never gave me the film, what a c**t.

That penalty miss by Macca against Campbell Money is the stuff of legend. Macca told Dibble where he was putting it. Dibble said he would kill Macca if he was lying. And he would have. 
Penalty was saved and the Northbank sang “Macca’s still a Saint”. Good times. IIRC it was a dubious penalty award but we are used to that in Scottish fitba.

[Luddite]

5 minutes ago, SuperSaints1877 said:

That penalty miss by Macca against Campbell Money is the stuff of legend. Macca told Dibble where he was putting it. Dibble said he would kill Macca if he was lying. And he would have. 
Penalty was saved and the Northbank sang “Macca’s still a Saint”. Good times. IIRC it was a dubious penalty award but we are used to that in Scottish fitba.

Interesting. have any other St.Mirren or Celtic players commented on it? I don't recall anything of it, was just a kid and halfway out the ground and I don't remember watching Sportscene that night.

If I'd have known how the game was going to be transformed I would have visited as many different grounds as I could when I was younger. Pave Paradise, put up a parking lot and all that 

[SuperSaints1877]

17 minutes ago, Luddite said:

Interesting. have any other St.Mirren or Celtic players commented on it? I don't recall anything of it, was just a kid and halfway out the ground and I don't remember watching Sportscene that night.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/maccas-soft-spot-2617235

[Luddite]

40 minutes ago, SuperSaints1877 said:

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/maccas-soft-spot-2617235

Cheers 

“For that particular game, I think Celtic had pretty much won the league, while St Mirren were fighting for their lives and I certainly wasn’t going to help put them down.

I put it where I said I would and Campbell saved it but big Billy was absolutely raging and, within seconds, I was substituted.

I think he might be talking out of his arse a bit here, he says Celtic had the league wrapped up by January? Only 3 points separated Celtic and Hearts (who won that day).

Also, if he didn't want to help beat them why did he make himself available for selection that day an then go to ground to win a penalty?

And he wasn't substituted within seconds, in fact he was still on the pitch at the final whistle.

I think he's at it...

 

Edited August 3, 2022 by Luddite

[SuperSaints1877]

54 minutes ago, Luddite said:

Cheers 

“For that particular game, I think Celtic had pretty much won the league, while St Mirren were fighting for their lives and I certainly wasn’t going to help put them down.

I put it where I said I would and Campbell saved it but big Billy was absolutely raging and, within seconds, I was substituted.

I think he might be talking out of his arse a bit here, he says Celtic had the league wrapped up by January? Only 3 points separated Celtic and Hearts (who won that day).

Also, if he didn't want to help beat them why did he make himself available for selection that day an then go to ground to win a penalty?

And he wasn't substituted within seconds, in fact he was still on the pitch at the final whistle.

I think he's at it...

 

If you know Macca then he likes to tell a good story.

I’ve been fortunate to be in his company a few times and he is a very humble guy who appreciates what football has given him down the years.

Had it not been for his off field lifestyle he would have been an exceptional striker for Scotland.

I’d imagine with his lifestyle (drink, drugs and women) that his memory of certain events is slightly hazy. His story of that game is far better than the truth. Although I’m 100% sure he did tell Campbell where he was putting it.

A quite brilliant player in his heyday. St Mirren and West Ham probably saw the best of his talents.

If you think he was good in a Celtic shirt surrounded by international players then you can only imagine the impact he had with two small clubs. West Ham should have won the league in the first season, but a winter shutdown and cup replays hampered their chances massively.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/that-1980s-sports-blog/2021/mar/04/west-ham-challenged-title-relegation

McAvennie enjoyed a fantastic start to his first season in England, scoring 17 goals in the league before Christmas. He scored 26 in total in his debut campaign, finishing second to Gary Lineker in the race for the Golden Boot.

Never really got a sniff of international football. A total of five caps is appalling. 

I moved to London in 1986 and went to many games at West Ham home and away. Frank is rightly a legend at his first two clubs by the fans.

[Luddite]

5 minutes ago, SuperSaints1877 said:

If you know Macca then he likes to tell a good story.

I’ve been fortunate to be in his company a few times and he is a very humble guy who appreciates what football has given him down the years.

Had it not been for his off field lifestyle he would have been an exceptional striker for Scotland.

I’d imagine with his lifestyle (drink, drugs and women) that his memory of certain events is slightly hazy. His story of that game is far better than the truth. Although I’m 100% sure he did tell Campbell where he was putting it.

A quite brilliant player in his heyday. St Mirren and West Ham probably saw the best of his talents.

If you think he was good in a Celtic shirt surrounded by international players then you can only imagine the impact he had with two small clubs. West Ham should have won the league in the first season, but a winter shutdown and cup replays hampered their chances massively.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/that-1980s-sports-blog/2021/mar/04/west-ham-challenged-title-relegation

McAvennie enjoyed a fantastic start to his first season in England, scoring 17 goals in the league before Christmas. He scored 26 in total in his debut campaign, finishing second to Gary Lineker in the race for the Golden Boot.

Never really got a sniff of international football. A total of five caps is appalling. 

I moved to London in 1986 and went to many games at West Ham home and away. Frank is rightly a legend at his first two clubs by the fans.

I may be wrong on this, but I think he fell out of favour with Stein and Fergie for the Scotland team due to his and Charlie Nicholas' influence on Mo Johnstone. I recall Fergie stating that Johnstone followed their lead somewhat when it came to partying.

My memory isn't what it was so I may have that all arse-backwards.